I agree, players with skating ability always seem to catch the eye more. I'm confident Laf will be a great player, his skill is apparent when he makes plays, you just wish he would make more plays I guess. You wonder how much it is confidence and coaching. It's just frustrating when he doesn't have the puck or doesn't end up on the scoresheet, you could go a whole game without noticing him at all. I guess with so many generational talent drafted at #1 over the past 20 years you just have unfair expectations. Especially when you have never draft #1 before, and him being touted a can't miss consensus #1 in one of the deepest draft and you see his jaw dropping highlights at the biggest stage. You are just left wanting "more" after each game.
His skill has been apparent a couple of times, but it is NOT apparent to me much more often. I am fine (well, not fine, but I’m accepting it this year) with him getting pushed off the puck, or being a step behind, etc. But, I can recall at least a play a game where he’s presented with an amazing opportunity to use his skill in space and he screwed it up.
There was a play in the last game where Strome fed him as the trailer and he tried to drag the puck around a fallen down defender. This is a “hands” play that most skill guys can make nowadays, and he completely fumbled it.
I know how I sound when I criticize the kid. I am only doing so because I know he can do all of these things. He is a SPECIAL player and I just don’t know why he isn’t showing it more often by now. And this isn’t about points, it’s about showing that high end skill.
Of course. Buffalo would be dumb to trade him now considering he also physically mangled
